AcuraLegend1988Overview/acura/legend/1988/base/

1988 Acura Legend

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1988 Legend.

Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1988 Acura Legend pairs its four-speed automatic transmission with EPA ratings of 16 mpg city and 21 mpg highway, while routine maintenance calls for 4.2 quarts of 5W-30 API SG oil. Reliability records show 38 owner complaints and two recalls, with vehicle speed control identified as the top concern. This places the model year before the 19901995 complaint window—where issues peaked at 130 reports in 1991 and fell to 16 by 1995—suggesting it predates the most intensive period of documented owner-reported issues while carrying a moderate early complaint load.

Model year199519941993199219911990198919881987

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.2 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 API SGOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy16/21/18 mpgEPA · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length189.4 in
Overall width68.5 in
Overall height54.7 in
Wheelbase108.7 in
Curb weight3078 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)63/37

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined16 / 21 / 18 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume95 cu ft
Cargo volume14 cu ft
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Legend of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

7.9–8.1 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 7.91 sec — 1988 LS Sedan
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1988LS Sedan 2.7L V67.91 sec16.27 sec161 hpFWD
1988LS Sedan 2.7L V68.10 sec16.40 sec161 hpFWD
1986Sedan 2.5L V68.10 sec16.20 sec151 hpFWD
1986Sedan 2.5L V68.11 sec16.41 sec151 hpFWD
1986Sedan 2.5L V69.60 sec17.50 sec151 hpFWD
1990LS Coupe 2.7L V69.00 sec17.00 sec161 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.2 qt of 5W-30 API SG engine oil, 80W-90 · API in the differential.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity3.4
Differential Gear Oil80W-90 · API
Differential Gear Oil Capacity2 Pints
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4.2 qt
Power Steering FluidHONDA TYPE V OR EQUIVALENT

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miBrake Linings (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
At 15,000 miParking Brake System (inspect) · Steering System (inspect)
Every 15,000 miBrake System (inspect) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Power Steering System (inspect) · Suspension System (torque)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Antilock Brake System (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Engine Coolant System Hoses (inspect)
At 45,000 miEngine Coolant System Hoses (inspect)
Every 60,000 miAir Injection System (inspect) · Brake Line (replace) · Distributor Cap (inspect) · Distributor Rotor (inspect) · EGR System (inspect) · Exhaust System Heat Shield (inspect)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 1988 Acura Legend sits at the very beginning of this generation's federal record arc, preceding the peak of 130 complaints and 7 recalls documented in 1991. Across the 1990 to 1995 data, a distinct trend emerges: complaints steadily decline from their 1991 apex down to just 16 in 1995, while technical service bulletins increase from 5 to 14, indicating that manufacturer fixes for generation-wide issues were largely implemented later in the production run. Because the 1988 model falls before this downward complaint trend and the corresponding rise in TSBs, it is inherently more vulnerable to the period's documented flaws, particularly its top complaint areas of Vehicle Speed Control (12 complaints) and Power Train (7 complaints), alongside 11 crash complaints. The provided data does not specify the root causes of these specific failures. As a used purchase, the 1988 model is a less favorable choice than later examples in the generation, as it lacks the iterative updates that ultimately resolved the issues driving those early, elevated complaint numbers.

2
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
2
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
2
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
38
Owner complaints
11 involved a crash · 0 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 38 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Vehicle Speed Control12
Power Train7
Service Brakes, Hydraulic6
Tires2
Fuel System, Gasoline,Equipment1
Seat Belts1
Service Brakes, Hydraulic,Vehicle Speed Control1
Engine & Engine Cooling,Fuel System, Gasoline,Power Train1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

95V103001Seat Belts:Front:Buckle AssemblyReported 24/05/1995

THE FRONT SAFETY BELT BUCKLE RELEASE BUTTONS CAN BREAK. THESE RED PLASTIC RELEASE BUTTONS ARE MARKED "PRESS." IF A BUTTON BREAKS, PIECES CAN FALL INTO THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY CAUSING THE BUCKLE TO OPERATE IMPROPERLY. Remedy: OWNERS SHOULD PROMPTLY CHECK THE CONDITION AND OPERATION OF BOTH FRONT SAFETY BELT BUCKLES. CAREFULLY INSPECT THE RED RELEASE BUTTON FOR ANY BREAKS OR CRACKS. CHECK THAT BOTH…

87V171000Equipment:Other:Owners/Service/Other ManualReported 29/10/1987

OWNERS MANUAL INFORMATION REQUIRED BY FMVSS 210, SECTIONS 6A AND 6B WAS OMITTED FROM THE MANUAL. Remedy: UPGRADE EXISTING MANUALS BY INSERTING ADHESIVE BACKED CORRECTION PAGES.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
SB-07082010-11-01TiresACURA: THERE ARE GUIDELINES FOR VARIOUS SITUATIONS AND PROCEDURES INCLUDING: TIRE…
10022002-10-16Air BagsINTERMITTENT SRA DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE 1-1 TO 1-5, DRIVER'S AIRBAG INFLATOR CIRCUIT…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Legend. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1988 Legend take?

4.2 qt of 5W-30 API SG, per the factory manual.

Does the 1988 Legend have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Legend get?

EPA figures are 16 city / 21 highway / 18 combined mpg.